Covering the AM

I have been flying my AM for months and am now getting around to covering it with Lightex, like I do all of my Multiplex planes. I have the wings and horizontal stab/elevator covered now. The planes flies noticeably faster and more efficiently now. Last Friday the wind was about 10mp - I was doing stationary harriers over the runway without a hint of wing rock regardless of being inverted or not.

The covering on so far is a brilliant white that makes the bird really easy to see - canopy is painted flat black for orientation.

I am still flying using the Hyperion Z3013-14, with 11x5.5 prop and 2100 mA-Hr batts getting 10 minutes of 3D flying with a bit of margin.

Once the covering is complete, I'll post some pics and see if I can find someone to shoot video as well.

The results of the motor tests are described. I don't read French so well anymore (took french about 40 years ago in H.S.) but the tables do a good job of summarizing the results. I am somewhat pleased to see that they Hyperion Z3013 appears to match or exceed the performance of the Himax motor in almost every test. Since the Hyperion motor weighs 24 grams less, it seems like a no brainer to choose the Z3013 when weight is a primary consideration. Here in the U.S. the prices for the motors are almost the same.

One of the stunts the peanut gallery at my field likes most is for me to do a rolling full-power take-off with a transition to vertical almost as soon as the wheels leave terra firma and then do five or six fast high-rate rolls on the upline followed by a nice inverted spin coming back down. A couple of the more experienced guys in the club are the ones who beg most for that stunt. Not many other planes could match it. The AM is pure joy to fly!

I'm trying to do 3d with my acromaster but would really appreciate some tips on the bext c of g location ?

can you tell me where your c of g is please

Thanks

Try moving it back a couple of millimeters at a time. After each change, make a flight and go inverted while straight and level. When she rises just a bit in the inverted position, you will be close to the right spot. Note - the plane will become more and more responsive to the elevator as you move the CG back, so be prepared to be a bit softer and quicker on the elevator. Once you get used to doing 3D with the CG a bit rearward, then you can move it back forward to a more neutral position - again a bit at a time - to regain the pitch stability and neutral inverted flying CG. The main thing is practice, practice, practice. I am just getting into 3D. I find it useful to practice harriers in the wind - the plane stays close and I can more easily see the corrections that are required. Once you get a good solid harrier and transition to Harrier, you can move into the hover.

Sorry SD, mostly good advice, apart from one bit. Its bad news having the CG so far back that it climbs, it makes the plane potentially unstable when the right way up, not a good idea. The ideal place for 3D is so the plane just sinks inverted, i mean just so you have to hold a tiney bit of "down" in to get it to carry on level. This keeps it stable for the right way up too. Remember, you dont need an unstable plane to fly 3D, quite the opposite.

Ive found that with my acromasters with the thrust lines as MPX reccomend, the plane should fly as described above. Move it forward for smoother aerobatics.

One thing us electric people have as an advantage, we can move out batteries about to get the optimum CG, not something so easily done on an IC model.

Sorry SD, mostly good advice, apart from one bit. Its bad news having the CG so far back that it climbs, it makes the plane potentially unstable when the right way up, not a good idea. The ideal place for 3D is so the plane just sinks inverted, i mean just so you have to hold a tiney bit of "down" in to get it to carry on level. This keeps it stable for the right way up too. Remember, you dont need an unstable plane to fly 3D, quite the opposite.

Ive found that with my acromasters with the thrust lines as MPX reccomend, the plane should fly as described above. Move it forward for smoother aerobatics.

One thing us electric people have as an advantage, we can move out batteries about to get the optimum CG, not something so easily done on an IC model.

Hope this helps
Ian

Ian,

I agree that for the final CG for general flying that a neutral CG is best. But for learning 3D, a slightly rearward CG helps. Once the basics are learned, the CG can be moved to the sweet spot again, which I believe is what I recommended.

I turned down a job flying an MU-2 from New York to Florida and back this weekend, so that I can finally maiden my AcroMaster. When the boss pressed me about why I couldn't fly the trip, I couldn't think of anything appropriate to say. So I just mumbled enigmaticly about "things to do at home". I didn't expect him to understand why I'd rather fly my new "toy" in freezing cold, than fly a 300-knot full-scale turboprop to sunny Florida. Sometimes we just have to set priorities, and so I'm putting the finishing touches on the Acromaster tonight.

4" of fresh snow on the ground outside- so in addition to final rigging, I've just made a pair of skis from Elapor, scavenged from an old EasyStar.

Most of the inspiration was from lurking in this thread. Thanks to all of you.

And now she's almost ready!

(edit) A question:

Does anyone know what kind of pitch coupling to expect with a little flaperon extended? I'm considering making the first hop with about 10 degrees flaps down, and I'd like to put in a little flap/elevator mix- if anyone can share baseline information about up/down pitching moments with flap extension (through flaperon mix). In my full-scale experience, low-wing planes usually pitch slightly down with flaps, high-wings do the converse, and I've never flown anything mid-wing with flaps. Ok there was an Aerostar once, but I can't remember if it pitched with flaps. Oh well, there's one sure way to find out in this case...

Does anyone know what kind of pitch coupling to expect with a little flaperon extended? I'm considering making the first hop with about 10 degrees flaps down, and I'd like to put in a little flap/elevator mix- if anyone can share baseline information about up/down pitching moments with flap extension (through flaperon mix). In my full-scale experience, low-wing planes usually pitch slightly down with flaps, high-wings do the converse, and I've never flown anything mid-wing with flaps. Ok there was an Aerostar once, but I can't remember if it pitched with flaps. Oh well, there's one sure way to find out in this case...

Wish me luck!

Padesatka,

No need to use any flaps - she is so floaty already that flaps just add unnecessary complication. Looking at the line of the ailerons, I would expect very little pitch coupling, just a bit of negative pitch if any at all with a low flap setting. I recommend trying the AM without flaps for the maiden, then add them if you want on the second or later flight.